FAQs

The Liberal Studies Program will accept a maximum of 12 credits earned in another graduate program toward the 30 credits required for the M.A. Please send the following form to the Assistant Program Officer, Kathy Koutsis (kkoutsis@gc.cuny.edu) to include the semester, course title, grade, brief description, and a CUNY GC course that you deem equivalent. Your request will be reviewed by the Executive Officer of the program. The following restrictions apply to these transfer credits:

The course(s) must have been completed with a grade of B or higher;

The course(s) must be comparable to courses offered by the Graduate Center (courses in creative or professional writing are not acceptable for transfer credit);

The course(s) must not be credited towards a prior graduate degree. If you have a prior graduate degree, you can transfer only credits that you earned in excess of the credits required for that degree.

Students choose a track to explore a topic that interests them, to fill in gaps in their education, and to enhance their resumes (read below about the benefits of a MALS degree). When researching which track to choose, you should check the track's webpage for a general description, requirements, associated faculty, and course offerings. In addition, you can visit the webpages of related Graduate Center programs -- doctoral, master's, certificate, and interdisciplinary -- and read detailed descriptions of the courses offered. You can also contact faculty and/or MALS advisors to answer further questions.
A summary of MALS program requirements and a list of all tracks can be found here (individual track webpages are accessible through the right-hand menu).

Yes, you can change your track at any point during the course of your program. In order to do so, please notify the MALS office via email (liberalstudies@gc.cuny.edu). You will be expected to meet all course requirements associated with the new track. Core courses taken in a different track may count towards the required 18 credits of electives, but not as core courses in the new track.

Choosing a track that will give you new expertise is one way that a MALS degree can further your career goals. For instance, a student interested in working with immigrants could choose the Global Migration track. Choosing the Urban Education track could give you expertise for working in museums and with education non-profits. Students who select the Digital Humanities track or take courses in the track learn many highly useful technical skills that employers are often looking for. Skills honed by writing papers and giving presentations in class, such as being able to write clearly and communicate well, can also advance your career.
Getting involved in various Graduate Center activities can further advance your career goals. For example, involvement in the MALS Student Association is an opportunity to serve in a leadership capacity.

Yes. There is a MALS Student Association and a MALS Student Group on the CUNY Academic Commons.

All MALS students are automatically members of the Student Association, which provides funding for student events and communicates student concerns and needs to the Program's Executive Officer and Deputy Executive Officer. To get involved, look out for upcoming events and meetings which are announced in the MALS Student Group on the Academic Commons.

MALS Student Group: This is a MALS student-only group based on the Academic Commons. In order to join the group you will first need a valid GC e-mail account. You will be assigned a GC e-mail account 3-5 days after you register for courses. Use that e-mail to create an account on the CUNY Academic Commons. Once you're registered, visit the MALS Student Group and join the group.

Some of these may be subscription databases accessible only to registered students. But, if you scroll down, you’ll see the Michigan, UCLA, and Duke databases that are open access.

In book form, there is also April Vahle Hamel’s Graduate School Funding Handbook (Penn Press, 2010), which walks you through the process (Jenny Furlong wrote the chapter on postdocs), and Pearson’s Getting Money for Graduate School (2003, so maybe a bit outdated).

A Master’s degree, along with an excellent academic record and recommendations, can be enough to qualify for a position in a two-year college. A Ph.D. is a requirement for teaching jobs in four-year institutions. Even jobs that emphasize teaching will also require research and publication. Professor jobs are listed with field-specific organizations and in journals, such as the Chronicle of Higher Ed, which are aimed at an academic readership.

A Master’s or a Ph.D. degree in the Humanities or Social Sciences can be a strong qualification for administrative posts in the academic world even in the absence of a professional degree in administration. These degrees show that you have reading, writing, technical, and research skills and, in addition, have some knowledge of how the academic world works.

For help in your job search, visit the webpage of the Office of Career Planning or make an appointment to see Dr. Jennifer Furlong, the director of the Office of Career Planning and Professional Development at the Graduate Center. Dr. Furlong also organizes panels and events for students searching for jobs.

Seek out help from as many people as you can at the Graduate Center, your undergraduate institution, and the university and department where you are thinking of applying. Professors, fellow students, program administrators, admissions officers, and career-service placement specialists all have something to offer to make you a strong Ph.D. candidate. All of these people can help a Ph.D. candidate with essential information about institutions, faculty, grants, and the admissions process. A successful Ph.D. candidate should have a research agenda and know the institution and professors where this agenda would best fit. The personal statement and writing sample benefits from multiple readers. It is important that someone familiar with the conventions of the subject read both.

A thesis advisor is usually one of your professors. Thesis advisors must be members of the Graduate Center faculty. They do not need to be faculty members within the MALS Program.
Your thesis advisor should teach in a field related to your track and have some knowledge about the subject of your thesis. Given that the thesis is interdisciplinary and original, it is unlikely that any single professor will have an expertise in everything about your thesis. Ideally, choose a professor with whom you have been able to work well in the past. Other students have found that this compatibility is more important than subject-matter expertise. Remember that your thesis advisor is not the only professor to whom you can turn for help or advice on your thesis.

A few key points: Students must be registered for at least 6 credits to receive federal aid (Perkins, work study, Stafford and Graduate PLUS). The amount of federal aid a student is eligible for is based on the number of credits the student registers for, a standardized cost of living amount, and the student’s financial need. If a student drops from 9 to 6 credits, their aid eligibility decreases by the cost of those three credits. If a student drops from 6 to 3 credits, all of their federal aid would be cancelled.

If a student completely withdraws from all classes prior to the 60% point of the the policy on our website comes into effect. The 60% point is also when students who completely withdraw are entitled to keep their loans. Any student who completely withdraws from their classes will give up any remaining work study eligibility.

Yes. The MALS Student Study in Room 4109 has computers, a printer, lockers, a large table, and a couch. The Student Study is maintained and stocked by the MALS Student Association. Please be considerate and respectful.

The Graduate Center sponsors numerous events and lectures. They are advertised prominently on the website and in the elevators. There are many separate centers, programs, and departments that also host events at the GC. It is a good idea to explore the GC website and even the building to find out about all of them. The Center for the Humanities hosts many smaller seminars and workshops in addition to large public events. You can go to their suite of offices on the Sixth Floor to find out about their offerings. It is a good idea to get on the email lists of programs and centers that interest you. You may also visit the Graduate Center calendar for campus events.